Saturday, Nov 12, 2016

Dubai: I passionately love animals. Well most of them, the exception being armadillos, aye-ayes and sloths.

But it’s the magnificence of the horse that simply takes my breath away. Thoroughbreds, warmbloods, quarter horses, Arabians, Andalusians … all of them have great beauty and soul.

This week some of the region’s best Arabian show horses were on display at the Sharjah International Arabian Horse Festival. Arabians, horses that originated on the Arabian Peninsula, are easily the most recognisable horse breeds with their refined, wedge-shaped heads, large eyes and naturally high tail carriage.

This unique conformation has changed very little over the years, but breeders are still in pursuit of perfecting these traits. Horse shows are essential for breeders and owners and at the same time very entertaining for equine lovers.

Watching them perform in the ring, you are at once impressed by their sensitivity and intelligence and their extraordinary communication with their trainers. I have been told that their cleverness allows them to learn quickly but they do tolerate cruel training practices.

Arabian show horses are magnificent creations blessed with supreme power and grace.

We’re fortunate that we live in country whose Rulers are passionately fond of horses and equine related sports.

With the flat racing season already picking up speed it’s the turn of the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club to host one of the most important race meetings for Arabian race horses on Sunday.

Once viewed with scepticism the modern Arabian racehorse has become increasingly influential and their presence is felt at some of the world’s most famous racecourses such as the Longchamp, Chantilly, Newbury and Goodwood and most race venues in North and South America and Australia as well.

The Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO) which manages Arabian racing in Britain believes that the sport has enjoyed a significant growth in recent years thanks in the main to the unstinting and unyielding support of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, through the Dubai International Arabian Races that he sponsors annually at Newbury Racecourse in the UK.

While thoroughbred racing has long established itself as a premier sport Arabian racing has coped well with the shoddy treatment it has received in some cases and has hit out at its critics with the success of mega events such as the €1 million Qatar Arabian World Cup on Arc day and the €1.2 million (Dh4.79 million) Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown which will take place at Abu Dhabi Race course on Sunday.

The latter has received the backing of Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

Arabian racing boasts a party atmosphere thanks to its many diehard Arabian racing fans.

Leslie Wilson Jr Racing & Special Features Writer

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